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Monday, August 29, 2011

Ladies Lunch

Before I became a work from homer, I was at my previous job for almost 12 years. It was a good place to work for the first half of that time and it slowly transformed into a kind of Hell on Earth by the end. The kind of Hell on Earth that I can directly attribute 60 lbs to. I didn't have my head on straight back then and ate my frustrations with the tawdry affairs, poor and unfair treatment, new demands they knew couldn't be met and so on. But in that horrific place, were a core group of ladies that I relied on to keep me sane. I typically gravitate toward older ladies. They love me and I love them. They always felt like my "work moms" and girls my age had a whole different agenda. We all thought we could change corporate culture, they giggled because they knew better and were counting down the days to retirement.

Even 4 years after my departure (on my own terms which were rather awesome given they thought their smartest, most tech savvy support staffer would take the abuse until they were satisfied and I wasn't involved in the mass firings less than a year later), we still lunch on occasion. The only problem is they always want to go to Panera. This was fine back when I didn't care about sticking in a calorie range or more importantly making sure my sodium doesn't skyrocket to stroke inducing proportions. I tried to get them to go outside of their comfort zone this year and go somewhere else that I knew had healthier options but no go. So, I'll be eating most of my regular lunch before I leave (veggies, fruit salad and apple) and then I'll have a whole grain bagel and half a serving of reduced fat cream cheese and water there. It's the lowest sodium thing I could find there, even over salad. But for me, the point isn't about eating, it's about visiting which I think a lot of people forget when there is a lunch or dinner out to eat somewhere. For me, if it's falling on a day where I can't be going outside of range, then I need to plan very specifically. Some people would say "you don't do it often, just relax the reigns a bit." Well this week is already shaping up with a few extras I don't normally have so I can't be relaxing the reigns at every gathering. I'm picking and choosing and feeling good about it.

Do you plan your calories ahead before going out for a meal that's out of the ordinary for a typical week or say 'screw it' and get back on track the next meal or day? If you say 'screw it' for a lunch, does this tend to make your dinner higher cal than normal or do you get right back on track?
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11 comments:

I am with you. I will look up the place if it's new and plan out what I'll have. I have found time and again that it's precisely when I start relaxing that I can sense a HUGE mental shift just dying to happen. Once I do create a meal/snack/option for a particular place that works, I save it as a grouping and then never need to figure out the stats again. It leaves me feeling secure that I have a go-to ordering option whose stats I know.That's frustrating that Panera Breads don't sound the same everywhere. Here in MA, they do offer salads that aren't already premade with all sorts of fat and sodium-laden things. You can even choose an apple instead fo the side of bread! Now THAT would work great!!Enjoy your visit with your friends! I couldn't agree more, it is all about the VISIT and catching up with people who mean a lot to you. Have a wonderful time today and great job fitting it into your plan for the day.

Yes I like having nutritional info available even if it's becoming common knowledge that it's not entirely accurate. Our Panera has a fruit salad option which I got last time and almost retched. It was horrible! All unripe fruit on the melon side and over ripe and squishy on the grape side. I don't do fruit I can't use my fruit wash on. I can't imagine how many people have sneezed in proximity of that apple or picked it up and then put it back down and all I can really do is wipe the germs around on it. Mmm! Tasty! LOL

I try to plan my meal/options in advance. However, when that isn't possible, or the only available options don't sound appatizing at the time and I say screw it, it doesn't throw me off for the rest of the day. I am able to get myself back on track. If I know I'm going somewhere where I don't have access to the menu or the nutritional information in advance, I just try to have a lighter breakfast, dinner, and snack, incorporating as many fruits and vegetables as I can into those other meals.

I always plan ahead whenever possible. If I was going to Panera, I'd plan that meal and work the rest of my day around it. It works out for the most part. However, when I do go somewhere, I find the rest of the day, I'm craving crappy foods. Candy, bread, just stuff I normally wouldn't eat. Enjoy your lunch!

I absolutely plan my calories ahead before going out for a meal--it's w-a-a-a-a-y too easy to start that 'just this one time' thinking that leads to putting weight back on in a hurry. I do indulge from time to time, but I try to make a conscious decision about it and choose when and where to do it carefully.

Whenever possible I look up the nutritional information online beforehand and leave myself 2-3 options for the meal - and make the final decision at the restaurant. I guess I don't watch my sodium like you do because Panera Bread is one of my favorite places to eat. Unfortunately, it uses up most of my calories for the day. (I only get 1200-1550 per day.)

Panera as the example, I'd skip all of their "lunch" fare (sandwiches/soup/salads) just because I don't care for the quality vs the price (low quality, high price). But I'm a sucker for their dessert stuff. So I just avoid the place. If I "had" to go to be social, I might just get a drink and skip the eating.

A hard question to answer. Most of the time I do look up info and try to make a wise choice. But, there are the occasions (generally something like an anniversary) where I decide that I deserve whatever I want. Typically though, even on those occasions, I find myself gravitating to the things I would choose if I looked up the info-lol!

I try to plan when possible, but for me it's not possible unless I'm going the fast food route. In my small town there are no big chains and the little "mom and pop" places don't have their info online. I can only guesstimate as closely as possible.

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I've lost over 200 lbs the old fashioned way with some more to go. I'm doing this with my hubby (The Mr) and he has lost 190 lbs so far. I wanted to share my journey as well and give people with a lot of weight to lose hope that this can be done without surgery! Passionate about photography, cooking, traveling, DIY and anything 80's.

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